Load brace for railway cars and the like



April 22, 1930. c. E. GOETZ 1,755,729

LOAD BRACE FOR RAILWAY CARS AND THE LIKE April 22, 1930. c. E. GOETZ ,7 5729 LOAD BRACE FOR RAILWAY CARS AND THE LIKE Filed May 14, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patentecl Apr. 22., 1930 CHARLES E. GOETZ, OF BENSON, ARIZONA LOAD BRACE FOR RAILWAY CARS A1\TD THE LIKE Application fi1ed May 14, 1929.

This imention relates t l0ad braces f0r railwa v cars or the like, and more particularly deals with load braces Which form a permanent part of the railway car construc- 5 ti0n and which can be folded into inoperative position against the ceiling or roof of the car when not in use, and yet Which furnishes a streng, durable and economical brace When in use to prevent shifting of the lading Wl1ile the car is in transit.

Load braces now en the market so far as I am aware all are of a temporary nature consisting of gates 0r fences Which engage the lading within the cars, but Which are built and secured to the car walls after the lading has been packed, usually by nails screws or other securing means. These braces are a total loss at destination since they must be torn out to permit access to the lading. Con- 2 sequently, these braces entail considerable eX- pense and loss to the shipper since a new brace must be built for each shipment. Furthermore, the time required to properly pack the lading in the cars and secure the same in place is considerably longer in the use of braces now known as eompared with. braces made in accordance with my invention.

\Vith the foregoing objectons and disadvantages in mind, therefore, I have produced 33 a device that entirely and completely eliminates all such loss and expense, reduces the time required to prepare and pack the lading t'or shipment, while at the same time providing a device that will m0re securely and positively held the lading against shifting luring transit.

The objects of my invention, therefore, are to provide a brace capable of repeated use and which requires no urther expenditu-re after its initial installation and at the same time, it is always readily awailable whenever de sirecl, but can be folded adjacent the roofof the ear when not in use, 0! When it is desired to use the particular car so equipped with ny braee for the shipment of goods not requiring braces.

A further object is to provide a brace with means thereon fox fercing tle sarne firmly s aga1ist the lading, sad n1eans being eollap i Serial No. 363,009.

ble s0 as to permit folding of the brace t0 its inoperative position.

Still another object is to provide a brace which Wlll not shift, warp, cant 0r rattle when in either its operative 0r inoperative position.

An additional object is to provide a braee comprising a gate formeel in sections s0 hinged at their center as to permit loading of a portion of the car which may then be held in position by the brace while the opposite secti0n may be swung open to permit ingress er egress of those engaged in loading the car and after complete loading, the sections are. securely locked in closed position and forced into engagement With the lading to prevent shifting thereof.

Lastly, I provide a night brace by means of Which the {1ates may be temporarily securorl to the car walls at any point within the lengrlh of the car when the unloading has been only partiall completcd s0 as to prevent shifting of the contents remaining within the car.

Further objects and advantages Wlll 12e more readily apparent as this description proccds when taken in connection with the 2ucompanying drawings forming part hereor.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a face "iew of my imention applied to a railway car or the like, the car he ing shown in transverse section.

Fig. 2 is a side view of my invention similarly applied, the car being shown in section, and also being broken away to accommodate the figure to the sheet of drawing.

Fig. 3 is a detail view of the means for 85 forcing the gates into engagement vvith the lading.

Figs. 4 and 5 are further detail "iews at the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail view of the means for preventing warping, canting, er tilting of the shaft Which supports the gates.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of the night brace and associated parts.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, I have illustrated my invention as being applied to a railway car 01 the lke as indicated at 1, but, of course, the same is capable of applieatien in ships mater vehicles 1::

\Vhiie 1:is is ieiived 110 be 1110 preferred form of connecting meane. I desire it (0 be understood that any suitable connection can be emp10yed s0 long as it fnlfills the nenes sary require1nents. T0 prevent latera1 shift" ing of the gat0s 17 and 18, I provide s1eever: 272 on the sha ft 10, wh ich ante interped be tween the loops 22 and the rolls 11 and 12 at each end of the shaft 10.

From the description S0 ar, it will i e se0n that the gates 1and 18 are supp0rted frmn the shaft 10 in 511011 21 manner that they can be free1y swnng on the shaft 10 int0 position adjacent the top wa11 01 roof of the car when net in nse, and it is also to be seen that the gu.'ces 17' a11(1 18 een be moved back and 0rth within the carrier on the 1011s 11 and 12. R is 21150 to be seen that the structure pn0vdes u permanent 1nrace within the car and 0n0 whch is capable of repe ated use without any 2u1diti0na l expense after the intial installa i0n.

In order to firmly p1jess th e gates 17 and 18 against the lading in. the 0pp0site en;1s 01' the cm 01 carrier, 1 provide spremling means between the fences 17 and 18. The form chat I prefer at the present time cnmprses turn bnckies 23, 0ne end of which is pivoted 1111 23' to a U-shaped hracket 21 carried by the gate 18 and on the opposite gate, 13 provide a snak et 25 whch is adapted; to receive the epposite end of the tunn buck1e which is provicid wth en opening 26 registering with openngs 27 in the bra cket 25 and a pin 28 is adapted Q be passed throngh the registering 0penings 26 and. 27 101 the purpose of securely luckng his end 0f the turn bnckle in positon.

In order to prevent ratt1ing and to provide firm engagement of the turn bunkle with the socket 25, the end of the turn buck1e which engages the socket 225 is provided nit h u fiattened head 29 Which engages t110 side wa11s of the bracket.

In order te OPGLL1LG the turn buck1e 23 s0 as in spread the gates 17 and 18 ine Engagement with the lading, I previde the handlos 30 by means 0f whch the yoke of the turn buck1e mapy be operat ed. These handlee may be cast integral W11311 the yoke of the turn buck1e 01 m ay be detachab1y seeured thereto.

Having described my inventiqn, we will as. su n 1e t hat i is desire l t0 u se fihe brace whi ch has been folded. t0 in0 erative position against the top wall of t1e car a nd t;hfi3lf secured in position by means of the 1100k5 31 and eye1ets 32. The heek s 31 h2wing been disengaged from the eyelets 32, the gntes 17 and 18 will be swung' int0 vertical position as ilinstrated in Fig. 2. The turn buckle 23 which has been disengaged from the soeket 25 and which lies aganst the fas 0 w'h6 g 8 18 where it is held by the spring c1ipg; is disengaged mm 2119. pring li i l ab0ut its pivot 23 so that, cs oppos te end upon passed through the registering openings 26 and 27 so that the turn buckle is securely attached to the gates. By thenoperating the yoke of the turn buckle by means of the handle 30, it will be readily apparent that the ends of the turn buckleare spread, thereby forcing the gates 17 and 18 into firm engagement with the lading and when the gates have been forcedto the ir final position, the look nut 34 on the turn buckle is threaded into abutment Wit-h theend of the yoke of the turn buckle, as illustrated inFigl 3t0 therby holdthe gate's 17 "and 18 in their spreadfi011dition.

In order to prevent possible loss of the pin 28 I secure the same to the gate by means of chains.

In order to facilitate loading of the carrier, I construct each of the gates 17 and 18 in sections.

This is accomplished by cutting the end vertical strips 19 as indicated at 35 and by hinging all of the transverse strips except the uppermost to the central vertical strip 19, as indicated at 36, from Which it will be seen. that when it is desired a portion of the lading may be packed in the carrier and the gate firrnly engaged therewith while, at the same time, the opposite side of the gate may be swung outwardly s0 as to permit access to that portion of the car which is being packed and after the packing has been completed, the open sections of the gate may be swung into normal position, as indicated in Fig. 2, and there locked by means of suitable fastening means indicated at 37. This fastening means may comprise any suitable form of bolt or look. It is here illustrated as comprising angle irons 38 provided With an opening throngh which the bolt 39 is passer].

It quite often occurs in the unloading of the carriers that the operation is not complete before the workmen engaged in that occupation quit for the day. The contents remaining in the carrier may be in such small quantity that it is impossible te force the gates 17 and 18 thereagainst by means of the turn buckles 23.

In order to meet this e1nergeney, I provide night braces on each of the gates 17 and 18'as indicated at 40.

These night braees oomprise sockets 41 su itably secured to any number of the trans verse strips 20 and comprising metal or other suitable mernbers having overhanging flanges 42 between which en extensible member 43 is adapted t0 slide This member 43 termint es in an angular end 44 provided with en opening 45 and as seen from an inspection of Fig. 1, when it is desired t0 temporarily secu re the gates 17 and 18 against the lading remaining in the car, it is merely necessry o nusn the gates into engagement with the a diig slid the extensible member 43 out wardly until the angular end 44 engages the side wall of the carrier, and by then inserting a nail, screw or similar fastening means through the opening 45, the fences can be temporarily secured to the side wall of the (ar in any position throughout the length of the car or carrier.

In Fig. 2, I have illustrated the rolls 11 and 12 in dotted line position to indicate that when the gates aresecured in their folded condition adjacent the top wall or roof of the carrier, the rolls 11 and 12 abut when the hooks 31 are engaged with the eyelets 32. The purpose of tl is construction is to prevent any rattlng or shifting of the gates when in folded"eofiditiorjl It is believed to be obvi ous th at if these gates when in either operative or inoperative positionwere permitted to shift dueto yib ratiens in the car while in transit, that it woirld only be matter of time before certain of the palts thereof Would be broken or badly demaged and in order to eliminate such a possibility, I have take precau tion to so (lesign rny imention that it is held firmly in either of its positioris.

F rom the foregoing, itwill be s een that I h we provided a very eficient durable and inexpensiie l0id braee which elirninatesall of the expense and loss incident to use of bra oes 110W on the market and one which may be attached to the standrd type s f carriers n ow in u se withoutmodification or ohange. F nrthermore, that my l0ad brape is readily available w henev'er required. g1nd that the cost of shipping lading asjwell asthe tirne req1iired in packing fox sucn shiprnent is materially reduced.

F urthernioreby the -ngse o f n1y invention, the likelihood of injury r dma,ge to the lading is materially lessened. Such injury 01 damage is a souree of inn1nne1able claims against the 1ailroadcompanies, b 1t wi th 1ny device, I eliminate"the poss'ibility of such ol aini and eonsequently, rduoe the; oost not only to the shipp er b11t to the railroad companies as well.

1. In a load b1ace for railway cars and the like, a. pliira lity o f tracks on said ear, shafts extending between said tracks and haring rolls there0n engaging the tracls, gates freely suspended from s aid shafts, and nieans on the shafts fr preventing latera l shifting of the gates thereon.

2. -In-a lod brac're f01"railw=y ears and the like, a plra lityof treks on sai d car,"shafts extend irig betweeh said treeks and having rolls thereon engagiig thesarhe, gate s freely suspended fr0m saidshalfts. a'nd neans -f0r preventing buckling of said sh aft 3. In a load brce for railivay oais and the like, a plurality of tra oks onsaid eer, shafts extendingi betiveen said tra=ks id having rolls thereon engaging the same, a guidey 

